pendleton



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(No Modem J. H. PENDLETON.

GRIPPING DEVICE PoR CABLE RAILWAY-s. Da-387,997.

Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No Model'.)

J.;H.PENDLET0N. GRIPPING DEVICE POR CABLE RAILWAYS.

No. 387,997. Patented Aug. 14, M388. l" I J l, 5pm

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JOHN H. PENDLETON, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE- RAPID TRANST CABLE COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

GRIPPlNG DEVlCE FOR CABLE RAILNAYS.

SPEGIPICAI'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387.997, dated August 14, 1888.

.Application filed Api-i128, 1887. Renewed June i3, 1838. Serial No. 276,937.

To @ZZ wiz/ont it may; concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PENDLETON, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Gripping Devices for Cable Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to make use of the traveling cable for pumping air into a reservoir during the time that the car maybe standing still or moving slowly, and to regulate this pumping action in proportion to the pressu rein the reservoir, so that when the maximum pressure is attained the punip may stop. 1n connection with this I make use of Wheels having shafts and cranks, so that the revolution ol' the wheels by the contact with them of the cable shall revolve the cranks and operate the pump, and the pressure will accumulate until the resistance to the rotation of the Wheels becomes greater than the power required to propel the car, and the car will be started gradually, and a grip is applied automatically to grasp the cable, so that the car will he moved at the saine speed as the cable, and l provide means by which the grip and wheels can be separated so that the cable can be dropped.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showin g the rollers and grip and the parts connected with them. Fig. 3 is a cross-section at the line n x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view with the bearings at one side in section, and Fig. 5 is a crosssection at the line y y, Fig. 4..

The track-rails are represented at A, and a portion of thc car-platforin at B, and C O indiente the positions of the wheels and axles. On the under side of the car is aquadrangular frame composed of the sides D and cross-bars D D?. This frame and crossbars are rigidly arxed to the car and sustain the rollers and grip. Through the erossbars D D are the slide-rods E,eonnected together rigidly at one end by the erossvhead E', and there is a link, E?, hinged at 2 to the crosshead E and connected by a pivot, 3, to the under side of the car. Instead of the rods E sliding through fixed guides in the crossbars D D',there may be rollers Dl D* (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) supported in the frame D and provided Withgrooves to receive said rods to lessen the fric- (No model.)

tion on these rods as they move back and forth. The link EE allows thegrods E to slide through the crossbars D to a limited extent for the purpose of applying the gripping mechanism, as hereinafter mentioned. Upon these sliderods E are hanging stocks F, having grippingsurfaces F', and these hanging stocks are between the sleeves G upon the slide-rods E, which sleeves are permanently fastened to such rods; but the rods can turn slightly at their ends in the crosshead EWhen the Wheels are opened to drop the cable. These sleeves G are connected with the bores G,\vithin which are shafts 5,each one of which has at its lower end a grooved Wheel, H, adapted to act with the cable K, and at the upper end is a crankwheel, H', the cranks of which are connected in pairs by the links L, and L are. connectingrods to the triangular frame L2, the apex of which is pivoted at 6 to the link M, and N is a second link to the link E?, to which it is at taehed by a pivot, 7.

Upon the triangular frame Li is a pivot, 8, by Which the lever O is connected, and the fulcrum-pin 9 of this lever is upon the link N. lt will nonT be understood that the Wheels H are revolved by the traveling cable K, as it moves between the pairs of Wheels, and the crank-wheels H communicate to the links L and connectingrods L a movement that reciprocates the frame L2 and swings the lever O upon the pivot 9. At the same time these motions are not interfered vwith by any slight endwise movement ofthe slide-rods E, because all of the parts move in harmony as the link E2 swings upon the pivot 3 that is iixcd to the car-body.

Each stock F is adapted to receive Within it the roller P upon a vertical pivotpin, l0, and at each side of the frame D, and between the cross-bars D", are the double-inclined gripblocks Q, and each one of these is pivoted at l1 to said cross-bars D2.

E R are swinging levers upon the shafts l2, supported by the hangers R', and the links 13 connect the upper ends of the levers R to the hinges 14. upon the grip-blocks Q. These levers R can be swung by the stationary inclines S (see dotted lines, Fig. 5) upon the guard-rails of the track acting upon the rollers 15 at the lower ends oi' the levers R, or such IOO levers may be moved by a hand-lever or handwheel and shaft acting upon a chain, 16, and

arm 17, that projects from each shaft 12, and when the levers R are acted upon the gripblocks Q can be swung upward and backward from the rollers P, and there will be then nothing to prevent the gripping-surfaces F swinging downward and separating and the wheels H separating sufficiently to drop the cable, the parts turning upon therods E; but in the normal position the grip-blocks Q are adja` cent to the rollers I), as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and the surfaces of the said grip-blocks Q adjacent to the rollers P are inclined from the middle toward each end, so that if the slide rods E and the parts carried by them receive an endwise movement in either direction the rollers 10 will travel upon the inclined surfaces of these grip-blocks Q, and the gripping faces F will be pressed toward each other, but will not grasp the cable except near the extremes of movement in either direction.

In the lever O there is a longitudinal slot receiving a pivot-block, 20, for the connecting-rod T, which extends to the pump-rod 21 ofthe pump T', and U are reservoirs. I have shown two, but there may be one or more; hence as the lever O is swung upon its pivot 9 by the movements of the shafts and crankwheels, as aforesaid, the pump T is operated and air is pumped thereby into the reservoirs U.

When the ear is standing still and the cable K is traveling, the wheels H are revolved by the cable, and in so doing the pump is operated and an air-pressure is stored up in the reservoirs U,and that pressure can be availed of in any of the operations necessary upon cars propelled by a traveling cable,and whenever the pressure in the pum p accumulates sufficiently to prevent the wheels H revolving then the ear will be moved by the cable itself acting upon such wheels, and through them giving to the rods E an endwise movement and causing the double-inclined grip-blocks Q to press the wheels more firmly upon the cable and grasp the same sufficiently for moving the car under ordinary circumstances. There is a yoke-bar, V, at each side connecting the lower ends of the boxes G', and the bolts 30 and springs 31 serve to apply a yielding pressure to such yokes, because said bolts 30 pass freely through holes in the yokes V and screw into blocks 32 upon the gripping blocks F, the springs 31 being between the heads of the bolts and the yoke-bars, and these springs are sufficiently strong to cause the wheels to grip the cable rmly.

It will be apparent that when the pivot-block 20 is moved over the pivot 9 of the lever O there will not be any motion given to the pump-piston, because the parts will simply rock upon that pivot, and when the pivotblock 2O is slid away from the pivot 9 the movement of the pump will be increased.

There is a lever, W, pivoted at 35 upon the under side of the car. This lever has three arms. The two opposite arms are connected by rods and chains 36 to the shafts and hand- Wheels,similar to ordinary brake-shafts at the opposite ends of the cars,and there is a spring, 38,tomovetheleverWintheoppositedirection, and the third arm of thislever f is connected to a link, 40, extending to the piston 41 in the cylinder 42, and a second link, 43, connects this piston 41 to the outer end of the connecting-rod T, and on the end of this link 43 is a shoe, 44, and there is a segment, 45, fastened to the under side of the car.

The spring 38, in acting upon the lever W, tends to move the connecting-rod T toward the pivot 9, so that the wheels H may be revolved by the cable K freely while the car is standing still; but when the car is to be started either hand-wheel and shaft 37 may be moved to swing the lever NV and move the connecting-rod T and cause the pump T to compress the air, and in so doing the air becomes an accumulating resistance to the revolution of the wheels H, and thereby the car is started gradually and the grip on the cable is increased by the endwise movement which the parts rcceive in consequence of the rods E sliding in the frame D, as aforesaid.

I provide for moving the links 40 43 and and lever W by air-pressure, instead of using the hand-wheel and shaft 37. Vith this object in view, the pipes 52 extend from the reservoirs U to the three-way cocks 5l, and the pipes 50 pass from the three way cocks to the cylinder 42; hence when either three-way cock 51 is opened the air under pressure passes by 52,V 51, and 50 to the cylinder 42 and acts upon the piston 41 to swing the connectingrod T and bring the pump into action, and if the motion given by the pistou 4i or by the lever W is sufficient to bring the shoe 44 against the stationary segment 45 the friction tends to prevent thel shoe moving, and thereby increases the resistance to the revolution of the wheels H by the motion of the cable, and insures the movement of the ear itself.

It is to be understood that the double-inclined grip-blocks Q will usually be`operated automatically by inclines upon the guard-rails of the track to throw the grip-blocks Q up out of the way when the cable is to be dropped, or to swing them down to place when the cable is to be grasped, such inclines acting upon the swinging levers R, the chain 16, anda hand-wheel and shaft to act upon the same being provided should it be necessary to suddenly drop the cable in cases of an emergency. Adjustable stops are shown at E for limiting the movement of the grip-rollers and grip IOO IIO

when said rollers and grip are swung to drop Vfor any of the operations on a cable railway.

It is to be understood that the parts are to be so proportioned that when the connectingiod T is swung so that there is but little motion given to the pump-piston the springs 3L will take off the grip by causing the rollers P to move to the bottom of the. inclines on Q, but the Wheels H will still be in Contact sufiiciently with the cable to be revolved thereby; but so soon as the pivot of the connectingrod T is moved ont on the lever O, the airpressure acting as a resistance to the revolution of the wheels H, the traction causes the car to move, and the speed is accelerated until the wheels cease to revolve and the car has the same speed as the cable. lf the load increases, such as in going up a hill, the press nre of the rollers P upon the inelines Q of the grip-blocks is suoli that the positive grips F will grasp the cable, and when the load lessens, thesprings 30, expanding, will take off the positive grip by causing the rollers to run down the inclincs of the grip-blocks Q. The air under pressure acting in the cylinder 42, or the hand mechanism may bring the shoe 44 in contact with the stationary segment 45 and stop or almost stop the revolution ofthe Wheels H and cause them to hold the cable firmly enough for all purposes of the car-propulsion even Without the positive grip.

I claim as my iuventionl. The combination, with the groovcd wheels H for grasping the cable and the cranks and conuectingrods moved by the same, of slides for supporting the wheelsand theirjournal-boxes, and a frame fixed to the underside of the car and supporting the slides, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the grooved Wheels H for the cable, their shafts and boxes, of the slide-rods E, from which the boxes are suspended, the stocks F, hanging from the rods E, the frame for supporting the slide-rods E, and the double-inclined gripblocks Q, supported by the frame, and the rollers l upon the stocks F, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the grooved Wheels H and their shafts and boxes, of the slide-rods E, from which the boxes are suspended, the stocks F, also suspended by ,the rods li, the doubleinclined grip-blocks, the yoke-bars V, extended from one box to the other, and the/bolts and springs connecting the yokes to the stocks of the grip, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the wheels H,

their shafts and boxes, ofthe slide-rods E, the frame upon the car for supporting the saine, the hanging stocks, the double-inclned gripblocks pivoted to the frame, the swinging le vers and connecting-rods for moving the gripblocks,and the rollers upon the stocks adjacent to the double inelines of the gripbloeks, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with thc wheels H, against which the cable acts, of the shafts, cranks, links, and connecting-rods, the frame L2, links M N, link E2, and pivot 3, for connecting the link El to the car, the sliderods E,and crosshead E', connected to the link E2, and the frame for supporting the rods El, sub` stantially as set forth.

6. rlhe combination, with the lever 0 and the Wheels H, cranks and connections for moving said lever O, of the connecting-rod T, having a pivot block sliding in a slot in the lever O, the air-pump and reservoirs, and mechanism, substantially as specified, for moving the connecting-rod T and varying the stroke ofthe pump, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the reservoir, airpnmp,and connecting-rod, ofthe slotted lever O, the Wheels H, against which the cable acts, the cranks and connecting-rods for moving the lever O, the three-armed lever XV, and connections to the hand-Wheels and shafts for moving the connecting-rod and varying the stroke of the pump, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the pump and reservoir and the Wheels against which the cable acts, of the cranks, connecting-rods, and lcvers for moving the air-pump and an aircylinder and piston, and the pipes and cocks for varying the stroke of the pump by the action of the air-pressure and for applying a resistance to the rotation of the wheels for causing the cable to start the car, substantially as set forth.

9. The combinatiomwith the Wheels between which the cable passes and the cranks and con nectingrods, of the lever O, the lever W, the connections between the saine, the shoe 44 and the stationary segment 45to apply friction as resistance to the rotation of the wheels for giving motion to the car, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 19th day ol' April, A. D. 1887.

J. H. PENDLETON.

XVitncsses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, XV. L. SERRELL.

ICO 

